Congratulations goes out to Kent State senior Danny Mitcheff for being named MAC Wrestler of the Year. Mitcheff recently closed his career by earning All-America status with a sixth place finish at the NCAA Championships in Omaha.

Mitcheff was one of five NCAA qualifiers this season. Kent State ranked #16 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll.

KONZ WORKS OUT FOR SAINTS - According to Steve Hare at the Kent Sports Report, Jameson Konz will work out for the NFL champion New Orleans Saints at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday at the Kent State field house. Konz put on a show at his Pro Day with a 46 inch vertical leap and a 4.38 40-yard dash among his other measurements. Konz' vertical leap was two inches better than anyone who attended the NFL combine while his 40 time would have been second among all tight ends and wide receivers.

Hare, who covers Kent State football unlike anyone else, has posted some spring roster notes. Kent State's spring practice will begin April 5.

Good luck to Mark Henniger and the Massillon Jackson Polar Bears as they play in tonight's Division I State Championship game against tradition rich Cincinnati Moeller. The game will start at 8:30 p.m. and will be televised live on SportsTime Ohio.

The Kent State University Department of Athletics will hold an 11 a.m. press conference Thursday, March 25, to introduce Joel Nielsen as the program’s 10th Director of Athletics. Nielsen comes from the University of South Dakota, where he has been the athletic director since 2003. Nielsen was AD at Colorado College before his time at South Dakota. Before that Nielsen was associate athletic director at Wake Forest from 1993-2001. Nielsen played football and basketball at Minnesota State in the mid 1980's.

The announcement comes almost exactly seven months to the day (August 24) that current Athletic Director Laing Kennedy made public that he would be retiring on June 30. Currently the longest-tenured athletic director in the Mid-American Conference as well as in the history of the Kent State athletics, Kennedy is wrapping up his 16th year at the helm of the Golden Flashes.

It seems like Kent State guard Mike McKee has been in the basketball program forever, five years to be exact. I don't know that there's been a better character inside Kent State's program during the school's 12 year run of success.

The Kent State men's basketball team could not overcome close to a five minute drought to start the second half and an 18-7 run by Illinois to fall to the Illini, 75-58 on Monday night in Champaign, Ill in a second round National Invitation Tournament game.

Kent State shot just 30-percent (9 for 30) in the second half while allowing Illinois to shoot 58-percent in the second half to energize themselves and over 10,000 orange dressed fans at Assembly Hall.

The Kent State women's basketball team missed 22 consecutive shots during a 16-minute stretch in the first half and lost 69-34 to host University of Michigan in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament Friday night.

Kent State (20-11) was paced by sophomore Jena Stutzman, who had 12 points, all on 3-pointers. Junior Jamilah Humes added nine points for KSU. The Flashes made two of their first three field-goal attempts and then went cold. Michigan took advantage, rolling to a 26-6 lead that proved insurmountable. A 3-pointer by Stutzman ended the goal drought and an 0-for-11 skid on 3-pointers.

The Kent State women's basketball team (20-10) will play at Michigan tonight in the first round of the WNIT. The postseason trip is Kent State's first since a 2004 trip to the WNIT. Michigan comes in at 17-13 and 8-10 in the Big Ten, good for a tie for sixth overall. Should Kent State win, they will take on the winner of the Toledo @ Pittsburgh game. Game time is at 7:00 p.m.

The Kent State men's basketball program will be making its 11th post-season appearance in the last 12 years when they host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane tonight at the M.A.C. Center at 7:00 p.m. in the first round of the NIT.

Kent State has won 13 of their last 15 games but is coming off an 81-64 loss to eventual MAC tournament champion Ohio last Thursday in a MAC quarterfinal game. Kent State is making its eighth appearance in the NIT and first since 2005. The Golden Flashes' RPI of 46 is the third highest amongst the 32-team NIT field trailing only Rhode Island (40) and UAB (45).

Kent State junior relief pitcher Justin Gill was hit in the head with a line drive late Tuesday during a 3-1 loss to visiting Dusquesne and was taken by ambulance to nearby Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna.

Kent State officials said Gill, a native of Canton and a standout at Canton South High School, walked off the field under his own power but was then taken to the hospital to be examined for precautionary reasons.

The Kent State women's basketball team will play at Michigan (17-13) on Friday in the WNIT. The winner of Kent State/Michigan will face the winner of the Toledo/Pittsburgh game in the second round.

This season’s berth marks the first postseason appearance for the Golden Flashes since the 2004 season, when KSU took part in the WNIT. It also marks the seventh time Kent State has advanced to postseason play (NCAA 1982, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002; WNIT 2004).

The Kent State men's basketball team will host the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center in Kent. The Golden Flashes earned a number four seed while Tulsa is the five seed.

Tulsa is 23-11 and went 10-6 during the regular season to finish fifth Conference USA, losing to UTEP in the conference tournament semifinals. Tulsa features NBA prospect post player Jerome Jordan who averaged 15.2 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and 2.4 blocks a night.

After watching as many games as I did the past couple days at The Q in Cleveland, it seems like the Kent State men's team lost about a month ago. After being at the arena for about 13 hours each of the past two days, I didn't have much time to sit down and give any coverage of the disappointing quarterfinal loss...So I'll give you random thoughts.

- Thursday night's KSU loss had to be the worst performance of any Kent State team in that building (Gund Arena/Quicken Loans Arena) ever, including MAC tournaments and Rock N' Roll Shootouts.

After winning the MAC regular season championship for the fourth time in school history, the Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball team will begin the MAC tournament on Thursday night when they take on the Ohio Bobcats at 7:00 p.m. at The Q in downtown Cleveland.

While much has been made about the easier road in the tournament and unfavorable match ups, Kent State will win if they can use a familiar formula that they used all season. Defense, rebounding, making hustle plays and TOUGHNESS. Kent State is the toughest, most physical team in the league. They have an opportunity to make this special season even better and it starts tonight.

It couldn't have been an uglier first half for the Kent State women's basketball team (20-9) in their MAC quarterfinal game on Wednesday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland against Central Michigan.

After losing first team All-MAC performer Jamilah Humes with two fouls at the 14:09 mark of the first half, the Flashes bumbled and stumbled their way to 17 first half turnovers and 21-percent shooting on 6/28 field goals. The sloppy first half led to a 21-28 deficit at halftime.

The third seeded Kent State women's basketball team (19-9) will take on sixth seed Central Michigan today at Quicken Loans Arena at about 2:30 p.m. The Flashes defeated the Chippewas 82-76 back on January 27. CMU (12-17) is an up tempo team that likes to shoot three pointers. If Kent State were to win they would take on the winner of the first game of the day that features Toledo and Ball State.

SIMPSON WINS SIXTH MAN AWARD - Anthony Simpson was named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday. Simpson averaged 8.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. KSU is 13-0 when he scores in double figures. "Anthony is an easy choice for the award, we were undefeated when he scored in double figures so his impact with our team is clear," said Kent State head Coach Geno Ford. "Unselfishly he volunteered to come off the bench this season and consistently provide us a lift every time he stepped on the court. This is a well deserved honor for him."

Simpson is the second Kent State player to earn Sixth Man of the Year honors joining Kevin Warzynski who won in 2006.

Kent State men's basketball head coach Geno Ford was named the 2010 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in a vote by the league's media association.

Ford led KSU to their fourth regular season title in school history and the number one seed in the upcoming conference tournament. During league play Kent State shot 51-percent and averaged 40 points in the second half, an increase of more than 10 percent and eight points per half.

AKRON - Kent State played a near perfect game to defeat Akron 74-61 on Friday night in front of a national audience on ESPN2. The Flashes won their fourth MAC regular season championship in school history and third in the last five years. Kent State receives an automatic bid to the NIT with the win, if needed. KSU also clinched the #1 seed in the upcoming MAC tournament and will play the winner of the Ohio @ Ball State game on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at The Q in Cleveland.

Senior Anthony Simpson led KSU with a career high 23 points to go with his nine rebounds. Simpson was extremely impressive displaying a smooth jump shot to go with his usual athletic finishes at the rim. The Flashes improve to 13-0 when Simpson scores in double figures. Rod Sherman chipped in with 15 points and Chris Singletary had 11.

CONSISTENT GREENE ROLLS ON - Kent State big man Justin Greene is the most improved player in the Mid-American Conference. The numbers speak for themselves. He might also be the Player of the Year and a first team All-MAC selection as just a sophomore. On Saturday, respected Miami coach Charlie Coles gave Green a lot of praise for his 18 point, 11 rebound performance. The Brooklyn, New York native had a monster game the first time against the Zips with 23 points and 13 rebounds and will no doubt be counted on Friday night to produce. Stephanie Storm has the story on how praise keeps coming Greene's way.

FORD AND DAMBROT UP ALL NIGHT - Dave Carducci from the Record Courier has the story how KSU coach Geno Ford and Akron coach Keith Dambrot attempt to prepare for the big game. Ford and Dambrot are two of the most talkative, quotable, charismatic coaches in mid-major basketball. As a reporter, turn your recorder on and just let them discuss the game. There are a lot of great things about this rivalry, and it starts at the top with two good coaches and good men.

Friday night's basketball game between Kent State and Akron is sold out, the Akron Athletic Department announced today. The game will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 8:00 p.m.

Friday's game marks the fifth-straight season that the Flashes and Zips have met in the regular-season finale, with the outcome to decide either a divisional or overall league title for one or both teams. The contest also marks the eighth time in the last nine matchups that either UA and/or KSU is in first place or is playing for first place.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CLINCHES NO.3 SEED - The Kent State women's basketball team defeated Buffalo last night 67-55. With the win, the Flashes have secured the No.3 seed in the upcoming MAC tournament. KSU will play the winner of #6 Central Michigan/#11 Ohio on Wednesday, March 10 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland at about 2:30 p.m.

GREENE IS PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Sophomore Justin Greene was named MAC East Player of the Week for his performances against Bowling Green and Miami. Greene averaged 22 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game and 77-percent shooting. Greene and four-time winner, Chris Singletary are the first set of KSU teammates to be honored multiple times in the same season. Red-shirt junior Rod Sherman received the POW award on Nov. 16 giving KSU a school record eight this season.

Kent State released their 2010 football schedule on Monday. KSU will play only one home game in their first four and only two of their first seven will be at Dix Stadium. Kent State will open the season on Thursday, September 2 vs. Murray State.

Kent State and Akron have been on a collision course all season. Both teams enter Friday's game at 22-8 overall and 12-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 in prime time at 8:00 p.m.